Rolfe

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Rolfe

Pronounced ROLF /ˈrɒlf/Medium

Meaning: Rolfe is a variant of Rolf, a contraction of Germanic Hrodwulf, from hrod meaning fame and wulf meaning wolf; the sense is famous wolf, sharing its root with Rudolph.Low

In 30 seconds: Rolfe is a variant of Rolf, from Germanic meaning famous wolf, akin to Rudolph. Said ROLF, it appeared for a small number of American boys in the twentieth century.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumGerman, English

MeaningRolfe is a variant of Rolf, a contraction of Germanic Hrodwulf, from hrod meaning fame and wulf meaning wolf; the sense is famous wolf, sharing its root with Rudolph.

U.S. rank (1974)#5840 ↘ Falling

1974 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1955

Total births (all-time)≈ 543

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Rolfe reached a small number of boys in the twentieth century, with a quiet high around 1955. It varies Rolf, a contraction of Hrodwulf, and reads as a crisp, slightly bookish name that also doubles as a well-known English surname.

It was never common, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its peak, and reads as a trim, dignified choice. A boy named Rolfe then would be in his seventies today. The name keeps its Germanic wolf lineage and a clean, old-world edge.

Did you know? The surname Rolfe is remembered through John Rolfe, the English colonist who married Pocahontas; as a first name it carries the older Germanic famous wolf sense of Rolf and Rudolph.

Overall data confidence 48%

References - Rolfe — Variant of Rolf, from Germanic Hrodwulf, famous wolf; surname cf. John Rolfe

Variations

RolfRudolphRolph

Nicknames

RolfDolphRollie

Famous Bearers

★John Rolfe (1585-1622)
English colonist in Virginia whose surname the given name echoes

If you like Rolfe…

Rolf— the standard short form

Rudolph— the fuller same-root name

Ralph— a like Germanic wolf-rooted name

Olaf— a same-mood Northern boys' name

Explore names like Rolfe

By themerare vintage surname-name german

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Rolfe mean?

It is a variant of Rolf, a short form of Germanic Hrodwulf meaning famous wolf, the same root as Rudolph.

How do you pronounce Rolfe?

It is said ROLF /ˈrɒlf/, one syllable.

Is Rolfe a boy or girl name?

Rolfe is recorded as a boy's name.

How popular is Rolfe?

It has always been very rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at a small peak in the mid nineteen-fifties.